


The Rough Wooing

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Bottom Armitage Hux, Dominant Kylo Ren, Kylo Ren Being a Little Shit, Kylo Ren Has Issues, M/M, Top Kylo Ren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-09 14:13:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17408402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: As he adjusts to the pressures of ruling the galaxy, the new Supreme Leader finds an outlet for his pent up rage and frustration.





	1. Hate (Hux)

**Author's Note:**

> I am an architect of difference, you are just a hole  
> Oh how I love to hear you beckon and stripped to the bone  
> But when I come around I come inside and just leave  
> Because if I had a heart I wouldn't wear it on my f*cking sleeve __
> 
> __  
> _-Hatef*ck by Motionless in White_  
> 

It all began about a week after the conflagration on Crait. 

With the Resistance all but wiped out, the new Supreme Leader alternately praised Hux for his loyalty and brilliance, or cursed him for his damnable incompetence. On the day it began, Ren gripped him in a Force chokehold until his face reddened, and his eyes began to bulge. Like a frog, Ren thought to himself as he pressed the Force onto Hux’s larynx until his tongue protruded and his head lolled to one side.

Ren released him, and he fell to the ground. The sound alerted a Praetorian Guard stationed just outside. The door slid open, and the guard peered inside, holding his blade at the ready. “Leave us,” Ren ordered simply. The guard immediately obeyed. The moment the door closed Ren knelt down and pressed a finger to Hux’s neck. His pulse beat rapidly, and he wheezed as he took in deep, shuddering breaths.

“Stand up,” Ren commanded. “I’m not finished with you yet.” Hux moaned and slowly rose to his feet, one hand pressed to his throat while he clutched the edge of the throne with the other. That the Supreme Leader had summoned him to the throne room was not abnormal. He reported at least three times per day. In the seeming absence of a credible enemy, however, Hux could be called for as many as a dozen times.

As General of the First Order’s armies, part of the High Command, Hux had long been accustomed to deference, at least to his face. His underlings may have stood in darkened corners to whisper complaints about him amongst themselves, but until Supreme Leader Snoke’s assassination - for there could be no other term for it - they had never dared to openly defy him. Since Crait, it was nothing for them to roll their eyes, to scoff and snigger at whatever he said.

They were blatantly insolent, and there were no repercussions. The respect for his position was gone. He was an officer in name only. That stark disrespect, the loss of esteem amongst his peers, the wasted years of work and sacrifice to reach his position, was more painful even than the frequent beatings he sustained at Ren’s hands. Of late, rather, the beatings he received from the Supreme Leader's ‘new’ Gaderffii, pilfered from the Tuskens of Tatooine by Luke Skywalker aeons ago.

Wordlessly, Ren swung the baton into Hux’s side, eliciting an agonised shriek as several of his ribs were broken. Hux collapsed, and Ren- it was difficult for him to think of him as The Supreme Leader - set his booted foot on Hux’s back. “Who told you that you could touch the throne? I don’t remember ever giving you such permission. Well?”

He exerted pressure on Hux’s back. Lacking the strength to scream, Hux moaned pitifully and stammered a reply. “N-no one, Supreme Leader. I a-apologise…” His voice trailed off and he coughed weakly, spouting small flecks of blood. A rib had punctured his lungs. Ren removed his foot from his back and walked around to stand in front of him. He stepped on Hux’s fingers, his face impassive as his subordinate began to whimper. “My foot. Kiss it.”

“Y-yes, S-Supreme Leader…” With Herculean effort, Hux raised his head to press his lips to the smooth black leather boot. “Good,” Ren murmured. He reached down and twined his gloved fingers through Hux’s thick, sweat-drenched hair. Ren held a tuft of ginger tendrils and tugged until Hux cried out and struggled upwards to a kneeling position. The pain in his side sharpened, while the ache in his scalp lessened. Absurdly, he preferred it this way.

Ren relaxed his hold and patted Hux’s head as if he were a dog. “Good,” he repeated, leaning down. At eye level, the former colleagues stared at each other, Hux’s eyes glazed and dull, Ren’s bright and glinting with malice. Hux held his own, shifting his gaze to the bridge of Ren’s nose. He clutched his ribs, feeling keen jolts of pain with every choking gasp he took. 

Of the myriad “sessions” he had endured over the past week, this was the most brutal. As his vision blurred in and out of focus, Hux willed himself to stay conscious. He tried to imagine the _Finalizer’s_ layout, the proximity of the throne room to the refreshers. He’d never thought of it before, but it was so fitting that the refreshers were so close. Himself excepted, most of the subordinates were so anxious after speaking with the Supreme Leader that they immediately required the use of one.

He let out an involuntary snort. He stilled, his heart hammering in his chest as Ren stood. He walked round to stand behind him. When he reached down and wrapped an arm around his abdomen, Hux uttered a low bleat of terror. Ren pulled him backwards so that Hux’s back rested against his chest. In all their so-called meetings, Ren had never touched him so...intimately.

Holding Hux against him with one hand, Ren used his teeth to remove the glove of the other. Dropping it carelessly to the ground, Ren slipped his hand beneath the band of Hux’s breeches. He slowly drew Hux out as he trembled beneath him, panting as if he had run some great distance. Slowly, Ren began to rub the skin of his member. He thought that the texture of the skin felt similar to that of an eyelid.

Hux gasped, sorting desperately through his thoughts for something to anchor him. Thinking of the flagship’s blueprints did not accomplish the goal. He thought of conversations he’d had with his father a lifetime ago. He could not recall exact words, but the dark emotions of each encounter - disappointment, rage, even hatred - were strong enough to centre him.

Hux struggled to retain those memories, but found the task exceedingly difficult as the Supreme Leader tightened his hold on him and increased the speed of his ministrations. The demoralised General bit down on his lower lip to stifle his moaning. He had never felt such a strange concoction of pain, shame, and pleasure. Ren rested his head on Hux's shoulder. 

"I wish I could see your face," he mused, infuriatingly monotone. "You poor man, you've been disciplined your entire life. Still, I bet no one has ever gotten under your skin quite like this." Hux said nothing, but bit down on his lip so hard that he bit right through the skin. He groaned at the added wave of pain. The blood from his savaged lip fell and mixed with the blood and sputum from his internal injuries.

"That was a question, General. I expect an answer."

Hux wheezed hoarsely. “No, Supreme Leader…”

In that moment, Hux came with a low wail. His seed drenched the front of his coat, mingling with his blood. “Hmm,” Ren tsked. He pressed his lips to the nape of Hux’s neck. “What a mess I’ve made. I’ll have to keep this in mind and take measures to prevent this next time.”

 _Next time…?_ Hux gave in to his exhaustion. He closed his eyes and slumped back against Ren, who lifted him and carried him toward the door. The Praetorian Guards made a move toward them, but Ren stopped them with a single glance.

“He’s mine.”


	2. Kettering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wish that I had known in that first minute we met  
> the unpayable debt that I owed you.
> 
> -The Antlers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to view, comment and/or give kudos. I freely admit I'm pretty new to the fandom, so any feedback on inaccuracies of the terms and characterisation is appreciated. What began as a random oneshot to vent my own frustration has apparently turned into a full-fleged fanfiction of sorts. 
> 
> Due to my lack of knowledge of the intricacies of the Star Wars world, and my fascination with these two characters in particular, this will be a character-driven, Hux-centric tale. (Can you tell who is my favourite character by far? :p )
> 
> [Don't let the spelling of certain words fool you, I am a citizen of the United States. However, I am an incorrigible Anglophile and my favourite authors are Australian (Geraldine Brooks), British (Nadeem Aslam), Canadian (Yann Martel) and Irish (Frank McCourt). If you like a good read outside the fanfiction area, I highly recommend any of their works.]

Hux woke the next morning in the medbay. His ribs had been carefully bound with gauze, and bacta sealant had been applied to his throat and his lacerated lip. He inhaled deeply and hissed at the burning sensation. He breathed out slowly, clutching his injured side. It was then that he noticed he was not alone.

Wearing the same simple black robe as the previous night, Ren stood at Hux’s bedside, his arms crossed over his chest. By contrast, Hux was clothed only in a pair of undergarments. He shivered under the thin coverlet, though whether from cold more than fear he could not discern. 

He wondered what the others had thought, witnessing the General of the First Order’s armies being carried in the Supreme Leader’s arms like a sack of flour. Hux closed his eyes and moaned. _This is it,_ he thought. _My life is_ over.

Ren reached out and tentatively touched his forehead. The General flinched and cried out. He stilled as Ren caressed the top of his head gently, as if feebly trying to lessen the damage he had caused. “I lost control back there,” Ren admitted grimly. “I guess...I don’t always know the extent of my own strength.”

Hux bared his teeth in an ugly sneer. The bacta had already knit together the torn skin of his lower lip, and his mouth had been cleansed of all traces of blood. The expression he gave Ren was little different from the one he saw in the refresher mirror every night before retiring to his sleeper room. “Don’t always know the extent of your own strength? You seemed to be all too aware of what you were doing - with all due respect - Supreme Leader.”

Hux braced himself. He was certain that such insolence would be punished, and was stunned when none was forthcoming. Instead of punching him, or strangling him again with the Force, Ren continued to run his hand through the baffled General’s hair. The Supreme Leader seemingly had a fixation with it. He massaged Hux’s scalp, prompting the warworn soldier to moan unintentionally.

“Does that hurt?” Ren’s hand stilled. Hux opened his eyes to see that the man actually seemed concerned. His brow furrowed, and he frowned at the General’s silence. He lowered his head and looked Hux in the eye. “Well?”

“No, Supreme Leader,” Hux rasped. He pulled the blanket higher to cover more of his torso. No, it actually had not hurt at all. It had actually felt...pleasurable. In fact, he hoped his answer would encourage Ren to carry on with it.

To his disappointment, Ren let go. He stood back and gave Hux a once-over, his eyes trailing every visible inch of him. “You may wonder why I had the med droid withhold bacta for your broken ribs.” Hux nodded and Ren paused a beat, as if searching for the right words.

“I told them not to give you bacta for all of your wounds, because I want them to serve as a reminder. I’m afraid you lack the proper respect for my position, so it was only a matter of time and course until I reminded you of yours.” Ren took the sheet from Hux and uncovered him, exposing him to the cold and indignity. Hux shivered and crossed his arms over his stomach.

“It will take about 8 standard weeks for your ribs to mend. They will be kept bound as they heal. You will continue to perform your usual duties in the meantime, as well as attending to me when I summon you. Do you understand?”

Hux nodded again. He slowly sat up in the bed and began to chew his thumbnail nervously. Part of him hoped that he had imagined a certain detail. From the Supreme Leader’s smirk, and the careful way he observed Hux chew the nail to the quick, he clearly had not.

Ren took Hux’s hand in both of his. He spread his fingers and examined them. Without exception, the General’s fingernails were short and ragged, many of them chewed to the quick or below. “Hux, you have to stop this. It isn’t sanitary, and it’s unbecoming of your stature. You could easily get an infection.”

Hux laughed and lay back against the pillow. Ren’s stern demeanour faltered at the loss of contact. He frowned dismally as Hux shook with laughter, ignoring the pain as his ribs were jostled. “I could get an infection, eh?” Hux said when his fit of laughter subsided. “Here you’ve just told me what a long recovery I have ahead of me - because you’ve decided to deprive me of bacta - and yet you’re worried about me biting my nails? Are you mad?”

In a flash, Ren loomed over him, clenching Hux’s chin a vice grip. Any lingering sense of humour at the situation crumbled to dust as Ren yanked down his briefs. Aside from his chin - which had begun to throb and ache - Ren did not touch him. Hux’s bravado vanished, and in its place he found himself reduced to the blathering, simpering child he had been under his father’s charge.

“P-please. D-don’t Supreme Leader, p-please…” he begged, his breath coming in discordant, stuttering gasps. Including the previous night’s session, Hux had never felt such terror in his life. Ren loosened his hold on Hux’s chin. He pressed their foreheads together, traced Hux’s jaw with his thumb.

“Consider this a warning, General. If you should snigger at me again, if you should try to defy me, you know what will happen. Were it not for my concern about making a mess, you wouldn’t be getting off so easily now.” Ren stepped back and carelessly tossed the wadded blanket toward Hux, who quickly covered himself and turned onto his side.

“You have 15 standard minutes to get dressed and get back to your post. If you aren’t ready in that time, there will be consequences.” He grimaced as Hux visibly blanched, his face pale, beads of sweat dripping from his hairline. “I’ll give you some privacy, General. ”

“Thank you, Supreme Leader.”


	3. Did My Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tell me why am I to blame  
> Aren't we supposed to be the same?  
> That's why I will never change  
> This thing that's burning in me. __
> 
> -Korn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, thanks again to everyone for the views, kudos, and comments! Two chapters in two days, this story might as well be writing itself. 
> 
> I wanted to focus a little bit on Kylo Ren's POV, before turning it back over to our favourite ginger space nazi. ^.^ I love Hux unabashedly, but I also want to take measures to humanise Ren. 
> 
> (I hope it shows that he's being such a controlling, abusive c*nt because he's so insecure.)

After his encounter with Hux, Kylo Ren went about his usual routine. Primarily, this consisted of maintaining an aloof, authoritative facade in front of his inferior officers. As far as the general citizens of the galaxy were concerned, the new Supreme Leader was just that. He would not have been able to assume leadership if his predecessor had been worthy of it, and capable of defending his rule.

The systematic propaganda Kylo Ren ordered to be transmitted over the space waves was comprehensive and, he hoped, effective. In theory, he as Supreme Leader was benevolent and deeply moved by the plights of the poor and marginalised beings who had been oppressed for so long under Snoke’s administration. In actuality, he could not care less about what transpired beyond the confines of whichever ship or starbase he happened to be aboard. 

One thing he had discovered in the brief time that had lapsed since Snoke’s death was just how fragile of a position he was in. It was rather tenuous, and somewhat tedious, being at the top. His temperament was too volatile, his attention too easily distracted, to be a truly great leader. Ren knew this, deep down, and his greatest fear was that the High Command and others knew it, too. In his more reflective moments, he worried when - for it was surely a matter of when, not if - one of the officers would openly challenge his claim.

The best way Ren knew of to maintain his hold on the throne was not unlike Snoke’s had been. Namely, humiliation and subjugation. In a small part of his mind, Ren regretted the abuses he had heaped upon General Hux. 

The man could be brave and brilliant, but too reckless and rebellious for his own - or anyone else’s - good. It had taken several beatings and even a sexual assault to even begin to bring the man to heel. Hux had quickly been dubbed the new Supreme Leader’s whipping boy, and as of yesterday - or so he had heard whispered in darkened corners of the corridors - his “frackboy.”

Perhaps it had been careless of him to carry the unconscious General to the medbay. He could easily have summoned any inferior officer or droid to convey him. That virtually everyone aboard the vessel knew (either from seeing it for themselves or quickly learning of it through gossip) that the Supreme Leader had brought him there, bloodied and cum-soaked, should have shamed him.

Ren felt no shame himself, but he had no doubt that the encounter had irreparably stricken Hux. Never again would he be able to instil absolute, unquestioning obedience from his subordinates. Never again would he command their total respect. For all intents and purposes, the General of the First Order had been subjugated.

Ren felt a sudden surge of sympathy for Hux. For all their years of acquaintance - about a decade in all, from the beginning of his apprenticeship to Snoke - Ren felt he barely knew Hux. As far as his background, he knew only as much as everyone else. Namely, that the ambitious, capable young official had been born the only, illegitimate son of one Brendol Hux, a Commandant of the Republic Army, and a nameless scullery maid.

Brendol had been physically and psychologically abusive toward Hux, ostensibly from the moment the boy was old enough to leave the nursery. Hux and his father had been rescued from their home in the midst of siege, but his mother had been left behind. Once rescued, Brendol’s mistreatment had continued, and were it not for the intervention of Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax, Hux might not have survived his childhood.

Brendol had been instrumental in training the new Stormtroopers, who ultimately - if the rumours were to be believed - murdered him, at Hux’s command. The poor, battered boy had been granted authority over the ‘trooper children by none other than Admiral Rax. Ren found it ironic that they had both experienced definitive moments of their lives by murdering their fathers.

No, that was not entirely correct. Brendol Hux and Han Solo had provided the genetic material necessary for their conception. Beyond that, they had no claim to them. Ren somehow doubted that a childhood marked by an absent, adventurous father was comparable to the alleged abuse that Brendol had heaped on Hux.

Ren gritted his teeth together so hard that his mouth started to ache. He had not taken Hux’s traumatic past into account when he had punished him for his perceived lack of respect. He had known it well enough, but had not cared. In the moment, all he had been concerned with was gaining Hux’s fealty and devotion.

He mused darkly that he had at least gotten the General’s attention. The 40-odd days it would take for Hux to completely heal were for his benefit, contrary to appearances otherwise. 40 days would be enough time for Kylo Ren to firmly establish his reign, and he wanted Hux by his side. By his side, and, if possible, in his bed.

In the meanwhile, Hux’s wounds would serve as a deterrent against further excessive treatment. Now the most difficult part would begin: the Supreme Leader would have to earn the General’s trust - if he was to have any hope of winning his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I ask for insight and feedback on the terminology and mythos of the Star Wars world. I plan to make minor edits in details and dialogue as I go along, so please bear with me. Thank you again.


	4. Comfortably Numb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A junior officer witnesses the fallout of Hux's latest session with the Supreme Leader and takes measures to intervene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is no pain, you are receding.  
> A distant ship smoke on the horizon.  
> You are only coming through in waves.  
> Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
> 
> \- Pink Floyd

To the best of his ability, Hux resumed his post. Essentially crippled by the Supreme Leader’s chastisement, the best of his ability consisted of staying in the High Command’s meeting room, leaning heavily against the wall for support. When that soon proved to be too painful, he sat down at the table. When even that got to be too much, Hux lay his head down.

It did not take long for him to pass out. He awoke some time later to find Captain Peavey standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. For a moment the two stared at one another, Hux’s expression vacant, Peavey’s indiscernible. At any other time, Hux would have immediately demanded an update on the army’s progress, but at present, he was barely capable of lifting his head.

Hux broke the gaze, lay back down and pressed his cheek against the cool durasteel tabletop. He had never felt such agony in his life. Every breath he took resulted in intense, hot waves of pain that sapped what little strength he had mustered; it was like a living, breathing being.

Hux dispensed with any pretence of strength and closed his eyes. Let the Captain think or say whatever he wanted. Despite Peavey’s professional demeanour, Hux knew well that the Captain resented him and believed he had attained his rank due to nepotism. The ‘little fire-haired ruffian’ had not gained his title on his own merit, but because he was the son and protege of influential figures of the former Empire.

The General had always been something of a pompous, pedantic little shit, but in light of his suffering, Peavey felt nothing but pity for the poor fool. To be on the receiving end of the Supreme Leader’s ire was not something one could just shake off and carry on from. 

The Captain had felt a sense of smug satisfaction on the few occasions that Snoke had publicly chastised Hux - the little bastard had needed to be reminded of his place once in a while - but seeing the state of him now angered Peavey.

“Pardon me for saying so, General, but you look like hell.” Peavey pulled back a chair and sat across from him. He resisted the urge to reach out and nudge the General’s shoulder. Hux did not lift his head all the way, but rested his chin on his arms so that his gaze met Peavey’s. His lips curved up in a lethargic smile. “That’s odd, Captain. Here I look like hell, and yet I feel like absolute shit.” The General’s voice slurred as he ruefully chuckled.

The act jostled him, and Hux was unable to stifle a sob. He buried his face in his arms and muttered incoherently. Alarmed, Peavey disregarded the differences in their status and patted the top of Hux’s hair awkwardly. 

“Yes, General, you look quite battered, if I may say. Excuse me again if I seem overly informal, sir, but why aren’t you in the medbay?” Hux winked at Peavey and chuckled again. His green eyes brimmed with unshed tears. 

“Well, Captain - if you really must know - I am here under orders from the Supreme Leader. He thought it best that I...carry on...” Hux’s voice trailed off. His eyes flickered closed and his chest rattled with every intake of air.

Peavey scoffed and stood up. “I’ll return shortly, General. By your leave…” The Captain exited the room and quickly crossed the corridor to the medbay. There were currently no patients, and the only medic present, a scrawny lad of about 16, leaned idly against the wall. Peavey snapped a finger at him, and the boy shot to immediate attention and saluted him. “Hello, Captain. How may I help you, sir?”

“I need a dose of that new Cantonican opioid. You know, the blue liquid one.” “Yes, sir.” The medic nodded. “Altheadone, I think it’s called, sir.”

“Right, that's the one. Get on with it then, boy.” The medic nodded again and hurriedly went to the other side of the room. He quickly measured a dose of bright blue liquid into a small hypodermic needle and topped it. He handed the needle to Peavey, who snatched it from him without a word of thanks. He turned to leave, but stopped when the boy cleared his throat.

“If I may, sir. Altheadone is quite powerful, and I must warn you of possible side effects -” “It’s fine, boy,” Peavey brusquely interrupted. “As long as it dulls pain, it will serve its purpose, good and proper.”

The medic saluted again. Peavey nodded and quickly departed the medbay, the needle tucked securely into the breast pocket of his uniform. On the way out, he had also pocketed a thick band of blue rubber. The Captain found Hux in an even worse state than he’d left him.

No longer seated at the table, Hux was curled into a fetal ball on the ground, the chair upended behind him. He gripped his side and wept openly, flecks of blood at the corners of his mouth. Upon seeing Peavey, he gasped and cried out. “Captain! I believe I am in dire straits. More dire, it seems, than I had imagined.” He snorted, a bitter sound that was not quite a laugh. A stream of snot gushed from his nostrils.

Hux whimpered and curled his body inward until his chin brushed his knees. “I am in quite some pain, Captain. As your commanding officer, I order you to make it cease.”

“Aye, General.” Peavey knelt in front of him. “Sir, I apologise, but I am going to need to get your coat off.” “Do it…” Hux relaxed his clenched muscles and allowed Peavey to lift him to a partial sitting position. He swore vehemently as the Captain divested him of his coat. He cursed the gods, his father, and suggested Peavey go do unsanitary things with eating utensils.

When it was removed, and he had pulled aside the undershirt, Peavey took a deep breath. “Oh, fracking hell!” Hux’s abdomen was loosely bound with gauze, which had at one time been presumably white. Now, it was sodden and grimy, caked with blood in various stages of drying. Peavey had attended a course in providing basic first aid in the academy, but this was far beyond his skills.

“General, you have to return to the medbay, at once! You need bacta, sir.” Hux scowled bitterly. He raised a hand to awkwardly tap Peavey’s cheek. “My, my, Captain. I am touched by your concern, truly. However, as I am sure you are aware, if it were in my power, I would have gotten bacta by now. As it is, the Supreme Leader forbids it.”

“Bloody hell!” Peavey took the syringe and tourniquet from his pocket. “If that is the case, sir, I will at least give you something for the pain. You will not survive long in this state, General.”

Peavey rolled Hux’s shirtsleeve up to expose his arm. He wrapped the tourniquet band at a high point on his shoulder and tied it tightly. With his teeth, he pulled the cap off of the syringe. He hesitated only a moment before injecting the Altheadone into Hux’s deltoid muscle.

Hux hissed as the needle sunk into his skin. The small pinprick of pain overwhelmed his frazzled senses, and he fainted. He sagged heavily against Peavey’s chest. The Captain caught him and lowered him to the floor.  


Unconsciousness at this point was a godsend. The General would no longer be in the throes of such deep agony, and when he next woke, he would have a steady drip of Altheadone. In the absence of the cure that bacta would provide, Peavey could at least insure that Hux would be comfortable in what should prove to be a slow recovery.

Peavey tapped the small mic of his radio, subtly concealed in the concha of his outer ear. “This is Captain Peavey, to the medical unit. Please acknowledge.” “Aye, Captain.” The response came with almost comical expediency. Peavey recognised the voice of the same young medic he encountered in the medbay.

“Ah, good, it’s you. Be a good lad and despatch a unit to the meeting room of the High Command. General Hux is...indisposed. Hurry now.”

“Aye, sir, right away.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first began this chapter, I did not intend to primarily focus on Captain Peavey actually stepping in to save Hux. Then again, I do not set out with any firm plans in mind when I begin typing. My fingers simply make words to try to keep up with my rapid fire brain. 
> 
> I had so little sense of Peavey from the film, but it was obvious he resents Hux's leadership. Wookiepedia helped fill me in on the rest. If he seems out of character here - and let's be honest, he is - I chalk it up to the extreme situation he found Hux in. Poor man, he just can't catch much of a break, can he?
> 
> I invented Altheadone, because in my research of the medicines available in the Star Wars universe, I could find nothing that quite fit the mould of what Hux requires. Altheadone is based off of morphine. Poor Hux, he needs a painkiller with a little bite.


	5. (Worship) My Wreck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If this won't be our fingers locked together  
> This is total war, method not objective.
> 
> -"Warship My Wreck," Marilyn Manson

Kylo Ren was in the middle of a conference of sorts when he was interrupted with the news that Hux had been returned to the medbay. The news was brought to his attention by MD-213, a small silver medical droid. When he was informed of Hux’s readmission, Ren responded by slamming the droid against the wall with the Force. MD-213 hit the wall so hard that it dented it. It was badly damaged, but still operational, as it stumbled out of the room with a small bow.

“Excuse me. We will have to reconvene at another time. I’ll be in touch.” Ren shut off the holoprojector, cutting off communication with Pax Lo, a blue Twi’lek and former Knight of Ren. Pax was being considered for a post as an emissary to represent the First Order’s interests in Ryloth. Ren felt a surge of annoyance at the intrusion. He wondered how exactly he was supposed to ever tend to the business of ruling the galaxy if he kept being sidetracked by - in the grand scheme of galactic governance - trivial matters.

He ran a hand through his hair and yawned. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept, or eaten. From the growl in his stomach, Ren decided it was a good time to visit the mess hall. He would get a tray to take to the medbay and share a meal with the General. He tried to recall what in particular Hux seemed to enjoy.

The mess hall was filled with dozens of ‘troopers, silently eating their dinner. The mealtimes were staggered throughout the day. There were two or three shifts for every meal, up to 9 per day. The hall was always crowded, but never noisy. Ren appreciated that no one stopped what they were doing. 

The unquestioning, unanimous adulation by the Stormtroopers for their Supreme Leader had been awe inspiring under Snoke. Now, strangely, Ren found it irritating and, at times, unnerving. One of his first orders had been that when seen aboard the vessel, the Supreme Leader would be treated with distant admiration and respect. It would only be at public and political events that he would be comfortable with the ‘troopers instantaneous, fervent veneration.

Ren selected a simple meal of Meiloorun fruit, a bowl of nerf-beef stew, a wedge of cheese, and two glasses of bantha-milk. He picked up a set of silverware and departed the mess hall. The walk to the medbay was long enough that Ren had a few minutes to think about what he would say, and how he would say it. The droid reported that Hux had been unconscious upon admission. Not much time had lapsed. Ren wondered if he might still be asleep. The thought made him a bit crestfallen.

When he came to the medbay, the first thing Ren noticed was that Hux was indeed still insentient. His uniform had been removed, as had his trousers and boots. He was clothed in one of the standard green gowns issued to patients. His face was deathly pale, and his eyelids fluttered rapidly with every breath that he took - with the aid of a respirator. An IV had been inserted into his wrist, the bag filled with a bright blue liquid. On his other wrist, a monitor band measured his heart rate.

Ren lay the tray on the bedside table and sat down. He lay his fingers atop Hux’s and squeezed. Hux responded to his touch by flexing his fingers. Ren held Hux’s hand as he slowly opened his eyes. Their usual bright green hue reminded Ren of the Felucian jungles. They now they appeared clouded and grey, more like the oceans of Kamino.

His eyes widened as they focused on Ren’s face. Hux began to hyperventilate, and his heart rate quickened. Ren traced circles with his thumb into Hux’s palm to calm him, something his mother had done when he was a child long ago. Gradually, the General’s breathing slowed. He seemed to relax, but his wary gaze resembled a cornered, wounded animal - which he essentially was.

“General,” Ren began. “I am sorry to hear that you are unable to fulfil your duties. I have been informed of the gravity of your injuries. I admit it was a mistake to order you return to your post so soon.” Hux narrowed his eyes. If looks could kill, his would at least have given the Supreme Leader a good wallop.

Ren grinned and grabbed a fistful of Hux’s hair. He felt a sense of perverse pleasure as he pulled it until tears streamed down Hux’s cheeks, flushed with fear and fever. “As I was saying, it was a mistake, one that I am prepared to rectify. How would you like to go for a dip in a bacta tank? Squeeze my hand if your answer is yes.”

Hux squeezed his hand as tightly as he could. Ren admired that even in his debased and seemingly defenceless state, the General did whatever he could to hurt him. Ren relaxed his grip on Hux’s hair and ran his fingers through it. For the life of him, he could not stop touching it.

Hux stiffened under Ren’s touch. He shifted beneath Ren’s hold until he was sitting up in the bed. Ren moved his hand down to the respirator covering his nose and mouth. He placed his fingers and thumb over Hux’s cheeks and pulled the mask off. Hux wheezed as his oxygen level was depleted. His lungs burned as he coughed up blood, staining his gown.

The band on his wrist began to beep as his heart rate began to drop. Hux clung to Ren’s hand. “S-Supreme Leader, please!” he gasped. “I am afraid I shall - I shall not live to see morning. P-please, I need bacta. _Please,_ Ren!” he bowed his head.

At the use of his given name, Ren felt remorseful. Just as he had begun to believe he had reached the pinnacle of the Dark Side, he surpassed it. Every day seemed to pose a challenge: what evil deed could be done today that would make yesterday’s pale in comparison?

He wished he had not done any of it. If it were in his power to turn back time, Ren would not have tortured Hux. He would not have used the Force to coerce him into declaring him the new Supreme Leader. He would not have killed Snoke.

Sooner or later, the old tyrant would have been put down. Whether Hux, Ren, the ‘troopers or Praetorian Guards, it would only have been a matter of time until someone killed him. For all of his rage, Kylo Ren did not have Hux’s skill or charisma. The First Order could not function as an autocracy. The failure of the Galactic Empire ought to have been example enough.

Like it or not, he needed Hux. It appeared that their fates had been entwined from their first meeting. In hindsight, Ren saw why Snoke had worked so hard to pit them against one another. Together, they would have been an unstoppable threat. All along, the General’s cool head and disposition had held Ren’s temper in check. There had been times, looking back, that the General’s presence had been the only thing to save him from a beating - or worse - at Snoke’s hands.

It had only occurred a handful of times, but the memory of Hux interrupting during tense interludes with Snoke - the way he had once stepped directly in front of Ren, to use his body as a shield - left a lump in his throat. Ren felt his eyes begin to burn. Tears gathered and slowly trailed down his cheeks. As he leaned over, they fell onto Hux’s gown.

By then, Hux had quit coughing. He stared languidly at the ceiling. While Ren watched, a blue tint gradually spread across his features. He closed his eyes and his chest stopped moving.

The eerie silence was broken by the long, high wail of the heart monitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet another attempt to portray Kylo Ren as somewhat less of a gobshite. I somewhat resent the way he's been portrayed/interpreted by some as little more than a pretty boy with daddy issues. I tend to vacillate between wanting to show him as being capable of real evil, and keeping him grounded and slightly sympathetic. Hence the flashback to Hux defending Ren from punishment by Snoke - in his own way.
> 
> If you think that's laying it on a bit thick, I'll back away from it a bit. Hux, on the other hand, is ripe for the bludgeoning. Sorry, I'm not sorry for beating on him so much. I'm sure it makes him seem a bit woobie, but god I love it - and him. Damn you Domhnall Gleeson, you gorgeous ginger, you!
> 
> Speaking of ginger, I know the whole bit of Ren touching Hux's hair is getting a bit tired. Oh well, again, I'm not sorry. I love the man's hair.
> 
> From this point on, ye be warned. There will be lemons.


	6. Any Other World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reality starts to set in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In any other world you could tell the difference  
> And let it all unfurl into broken remnants.  
> Smile like you mean it and let yourself let go  
> 'Cause it's all in the hands of a bitter, bitter man  
> Say goodbye to the world you thought you lived in.
> 
> -Mika

_“It’s alright, Armie. Everything is going to be alright, love.” His mother wiped her hands on her apron and leaned down to embrace him. She pulled him close enough that when he turned his head and rested it on her chest, he could hear her heartbeat._

_He had done something wrong again. He had not scowled enough, or he had scowled too much. He had not spoken using proper grammar, or he had spoken too formally ‘like a little prig.’ He had dared to look his father in the eye when he spoke to him, or he had looked at his boots._

_“Mummy, I try my best. Truly, I do. I wonder why he hates me so?”_

_“Oh, bite yer tongue!” She cuffed his ear playfully and kissed the top of his head. “Yer father’s a harsh and demanding man, but surely ye must know he loves ye. Yer his own flesh and blood, for frack’s sake!”_

_His eyes grew as big as saucers. “Mummy, you said a **bad** word!”_

_“And what of it, lad? Are ye goin’ to run off and tell that mean old man what yer mummy said? You want him angry at me now, is that it?”_

__

__

_“No, Mummy, never! But...weren’t you just reassuring me that Daddy loves me?”_

_“Oh, ‘reassuring.’ That’s a big word, that, for such a small boyo. But to answer yer question, yes, I was. He may eat yer head off at times, but ye have to understand. He’s an officer for the Empire. Ye can’t take everythin’ he says to heart. When he’s cross with ye or says things that may make ye sad, don’t pay it any mind. He’s just blowing off steam. But Armitage, be sure of this: if he ever really does ye harm, tell me. I’ll tell him he can blow that steam straight outta his arse!”_

_He laughed and swiped the gathering tears from his eyes with his sleeve. “I love you, Mummy.”_

_“And I love ye, Armie.”_

_“We’ll always be together, won’t we?”_

_“Yes, love. I’ll always be with ye, even when ye can’t see me. I know ye’ve had a hard day, love, but there’s somethin’ I need to ask ye to do for me.”_

_“Yes, Mummy, of course! What is it?”_

_“I need ye to wake up, now. Wake up, Armitage…”_

* * *

Hux woke to find himself in a bed in a room that he did not recognise. The last thing he remembered was a strange, cold burning sensation. It had begun in his chest and radiated outward to his extremities, until his whole body was engulfed. The closest he could recall ever feeling so cold was an excursion he had taken to the ruins of Echo Base on the planet Hoth as a child.

Hux took a breath, and was surprised to discover he did so without pain. The garish gown he’d been given in the medbay had been replaced by a luxurious black satin robe. What was the most amazing thing to him was that his abdomen was no longer bandaged. Hux slipped a hand inside the robe and cautiously prodded his ribcage.

Hux knew he was no longer alone when he heard a throat clear. He glanced over to see Kylo Ren at the room’s entrance. The Supreme Leader was attired in an identical robe. His arms were folded, his expression unreadable. Hux took it upon himself to dispel the awkward silence.

“Supreme Leader.” He inclined his head in a half-hearted bow. “Where am I? What has happened?” He noticed Ren leering at him. He followed his gaze to the pale, freckled skin of his chest and pulled the robe more tightly around himself.

Ren crossed the room and sat down on the end of the bed, which creaked lightly under the added weight. He reached over and laced his fingers with Hux’s. The General allowed it, willing away the abrupt urge to vomit as the Supreme Leader leaned over to kiss his mouth. Ren nibbled on his lower lip, a dark parody of what had transpired a few nights prior.

Hux turned his head to the side. Ren kissed his cheek before answering. “As I had feared, I got a little out of hand with your punishment. I should have given you bacta in the first place. I hit you too hard. Your lungs collapsed.”

Hux flinched away from Ren and buried his face in his hands. Ren stroked his fingers through his hair, gently scratching his scalp. Whereas before the contact had brought Hux pleasure, it now sickened him. He shook his head from side to side until Ren’s hand dropped.

Unperturbed, Ren caressed his knee, slowly moving his hand up to touch Hux’s thigh, and higher. When Ren’s fingers grazed his hip, Hux unexpectedly tore the robe up over his head. He threw it across the bed, and pulled down his briefs in short order. Ren watched aghast as Hux thrust himself into his hand.

“Well, get on with it, then!” At his stunned expression, Hux slapped his cheek, hard enough to leave an imprint. Ren blinked slowly, as if he could not quite believe what had just happened. He regarded Hux with the dour, sullen expression of a child who’d been denied a toy. Vindictively, he squeezed Hux so hard the man swore - and slapped him again.

“Frack!” Ren exclaimed, a slightly coarser oath than Hux’s ‘kriff.’ He relaxed his hold on Hux with one hand, and rubbed his stinging cheek with the other. “You just struck your Supreme Leader. I could have your head for this.”

“You already do.” Hux raised an eyebrow and curled his lips in a contemptuous smirk. He could not ignore the way his shaft pulsed and lengthened in Ren’s hold. Ren laughed and ran his thumb over the tip. Hux yelped and grabbed Ren’s wrist without thinking. 

“What do you want from me, Ren? You’ve already shown everyone how inferior I am to you. In the span of a week, I have plunged in rank from lauded General of the First Order to your _pet!_ I can’t believe -”

“Hush,” Ren butted in. He covered Hux’s mouth with his free hand. “You talk too much.” He leaned down and took Hux into his mouth. Hux cried out, his moans stifled by Ren’s hand as he ran his tongue up and down the length of him. His head lolled and his body tilted forward.

Ren’s hands shifted down to Hux’s hips. He held the General in place as he licked him. Without a barrier, Hux let loose a string of _“kriffs”_ and keening moans. When Ren lightly brushed the edges of his meatus with his teeth, Hux burst violently inside his mouth.

His vision blurred, and he fell forward heavily. Ren caught and held him. He swallowed and kissed a trail up Hux’s front, from his navel to his larynx. He licked the pulse point in his neck, and suckled it. He let go with a wet pop, leaving a dark purple mark. “I’ll have to get your uniform back from housekeeping. There’s nothing to hinder you from going back to your post tomorrow.”

Hux groaned and balled his hands into fists. He pounded the sides of his head, grunting in pain. He did this until Ren grabbed his wrists. “Stop that!” he commanded. “Are you trying to send yourself back to the medbay? Do you want to end up right back where you started?”

“Yes!” Hux shrieked. “As a matter of fact, I do. I want to go all the way back to the beginning. I wish I had never met you, Kylo Ren!” Ren glowered at Hux, but said nothing as he vented. “No, I wish I could go back even further. All the way back to Arkanis. No, gods, I wish I had never been born! Damn you, Brendol Hux, for ever having the gall to go and stick yourself in a woman who wasn’t your wife!”

He sniffled and dropped his head to rest on Ren’s shoulder. “Whoa…” Ren patted his back uncomfortably. “Don’t say things like that, Hux.” “Oh yeah, why shouldn’t I? Give me one good reason, Ren. One.”

“Alright.” Ren wrapped his arms around him. He stroked the back of Hux’s neck, and gave in to the temptation to kiss him. He was hurt, but not surprised, when Hux refused to kiss him back. His lips froze in place, Ren might as well have pressed his lips against a stone.

“I need you, Hux. I don’t know how long it will take to establish my administration, but I need you to help me. I need your counsel and strength. I want you by my side.”

 _And in my bed._ He had accomplished that, at least. It would have been better if the General had come to him willingly, but Kylo Ren never denied himself when he wanted something. As Supreme Leader, he could simply give the order, and his General was bound to obey.

As Ren held him, Hux sobbed. His tears drenched and tickled the skin of Ren’s neck. Ren draped his chin over Hux’s shoulder. He stroked his back and hummed a wordless lullaby until Hux quieted and drifted off to sleep in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Consider this as a sort of commencement. The end of one thing, the start of something new. From this point, I am not going to be putting our beloved Hux through so much physical torment, but his insecurities and angst are ripe for the picking.
> 
> Hux's mother as I envision her is a replica of the angel Tess, played by Roma Downey in "Touched by an Angel."
> 
> I'll try not to be too gratuitous with the sexual bits - hence my downgrading the rating from 'E' to 'M' - but be advised they do form a significant aspect of what passes for the plot. [On that note, I'm considering whether I want to or ought to retitle this fic in its entirety"The Rough Wooing." (Thoughts?) The so-called plot from now will be the courtship between the Supreme Leader and his ginger haired General.]
> 
> Again, and at the risk of ad nauseum repetition, I must remind everyone that I am (1) new to the Star Wars fandom and (2) new to writing fanfiction in general. Any critiques are greatly appreciated, and I will use them to minimally correct any errors throughout.
> 
> Thanks again, enjoy!


	7. Human Behaviour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren deals with the feels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's definitely, definitely, definitely no logic to human behaviour.
> 
> -Bjork

After the unsettling - but not at all unpleasurable - encounter of falling asleep in each other’s arms, Ren gave Hux a wide berth. He soon fell into a predictable schedule of meetings with dignitaries. He appointed emissaries to travel to the farthest reaches of the inhabited galaxy. He wanted an accurate knowledge of everything that was occurring, and to reinforce his authority simultaneously.

He had spent so many years yearning for power and scheming to achieve it. Now that he had attained it, Ren wasn’t sure what there was left to do. The business of putting in place an effective administration to actually govern the galaxy was frankly tiresome.

He had little understanding of how government functioned. In theory, Snoke had co-ruled with the High Command, but in actuality he had been a despot. Unencumbered by the High Command’s advice, he had always done whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it done.

In the rare event that he was confronted, he either beat the dissenter into the ground with the Force - namely, Hux - or killed them outright. At the time such opposition and punishment occurred, Ren had felt smugly satisfied. The image of Hux, battered and bruised, with rivulets of blood trickling down his chin, had been seared into Ren’s mind.

He could not rationalise why such imagery thrilled him. He could neither explain why, being well acquainted with his past abuses, he had subjected Hux to the same mistreatment, and even exceeded it. The General had his faults. He pushed Ren’s buttons like no one else could. He was arrogant and patronising. He was ambitious and adamant. Ren could not elaborate on what it was that drew him to Hux so strongly. The man was, simply put, **intoxicating**.

When he reached the point that he could no longer focus on anything else, Ren contemplated whether or not he ought to summon Hux to his chambers. If nothing else, just being in the same room as him might alleviate his obsession. The separation from Hux had affected him so strongly it caused him pain that was almost physical.

When he could no longer tolerate it, Ren decided to go in search of Hux personally. He figured that seeking the General out, rather than having him brought to him forcibly, would raise him higher in Hux’s estimation. He hoped so, at any rate.

As he left his chamber, Ren pondered the wretched circumstance of having fallen in love with his former archrival. He also wondered how he would react if his attentions were spurned outright.

* * *

He found Hux in the High Command’s meeting chamber, reviewing plans for the establishment of a chromium mine for one of the colonies. More specifically, he was formulating a plan for the seizure and removal of the mineral cache. Ren opened his mouth to speak, but the words he intended to say died in his throat when he saw that Hux was not alone.

By his side stood a Stormtrooper, outfitted with chromium plated armour. Ren had known of her for years, and had often seen her in the General’s proximity. If he recalled correctly, she had come from a planet that had been ravaged and abandoned by the New Republic. Its ample supply of chromium had been extracted to provide weapons and armour for the ‘troopers and ships of the New Republic.

The thought that Hux was conspiring to similarly subdue and devastate another planet was not too onerous to Ren. What most disturbed him was the sight of the ‘trooper’s hand lightly resting on Hux’s shoulder. Such familiarity was unheard of between a subordinate and their superior. Ren cleared his throat to make his presence known.

Hux and the Stormtrooper looked up at the same time. Hux maintained a neutral expression, but his eyes glinted as he acknowledged him. “Supreme Leader,” he intoned drily. He said nothing more, but the corner of his mouth twitched into a half smirk. Ren held back the sudden temptation to storm across the room and slap him across the face.

“General Hux,” he began imperiously. He paused to gather his thoughts before continuing. “Something has come to my attention, and I require your assistance.” Ren despised the tremor in his voice. Overcome with emotion, he was not keeping up the appearance of being an omnipotent sovereign very well.

Hux folded the papers on the desk and gave them to the Stormtrooper. “Thank you, Phasma, that will be all.” The ‘trooper nodded and inclined her head in Ren’s direction. “Supreme Leader.” Her monotone was clipped and crisp, giving away nothing of what she may be feeling. Ren wondered what sort of face she was making beneath her visor.

The moment the blast door closed, Ren practically leaped across the room and roughly grabbed Hux’s shoulder. “What the frack was that, Hux?” His voice trembled and he squeezed Hux’s shoulder so tightly that his hand hurt. “Well?”

Hux shot him a lazy, redolent smile. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Supreme Leader.” He lay his hand over Ren’s. “Is it necessary to squeeze me so tightly? I don’t tend to cave to threats or pressure...as you well know.” He scoffed and sniffed disdainfully.

Ren frowned desolately. He let go of Hux’s shoulder and started to back away from him. “I do know it well,” he murmured sadly. “If I had any illusions, General, you’ve effectively cured me of them. Congratulations.”

Something in his face or the tone of his voice struck home. Before he could turn away, Hux reached out and clasped the sleeve of his robe. “Wait,” he sputtered, all pretence of humour falling away. “Ren, don’t go. Stay here with me. Let’s talk.”

Silently, Ren sat down beside Hux. He held the hand that had tugged at his sleeve and lightly scratched Hux’s palm with his thumbnail. He looked at Hux expectantly. The General blinked several times and organised his thoughts before speaking.

“Whatever you may think, Ren, it’s not what it looked like. Phasma was -”

“Oh, _Phasma_. Of all of the Stormtroopers aboard this vessel, why should she be the only one referred to by name? What is she to you?”

Hux huffed and rolled his eyes in annoyance. “If you would allow me to explain, _Supreme Leader_. Phasma was explaining to me the timeline from the beginning of the chromium extraction to the devastation of her home planet. Rendering another planet nearly uninhabitable because of excess removal of its prime mineral would leave a bad taste in my mouth.”

“But...she was touching you.”

Hux laughed and rubbed his eyes with the back of his free hand. Ren took it as a good sign that Hux still held his. His grip was very loose and relaxed, but he had not even tried to let go.

“I call her by name because I have known her for over 20 years. She’s the leader of the Stormtroopers and a Captain in the Army. We’re on good terms, but I’m not sure I would go so far as to call her a friend. She is my underling, as I am yours.”

“No,” Ren blurted. “She’s not like you are to me. Well, you’re right in a way. I don’t think of you as my ‘friend,’ but…”

“But?”

“I don’t know, Hux. It’s hard to...articulate. You’re more than an ‘underling’ to me; you mean _more_ to me than that.” Ren’s face reddened and he nervously began to chew his upper lip. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been so vulnerable with anyone.

Hux eased his hand out of Ren’s grip and eyed him warily. He rubbed his chin pensively. Ren tried not to gawk at the thin red stubble, the growth of new beard on his chin and cheeks. More time had passed than he realised. Without thinking, Ren reached out and caressed Hux’s cheek. He relished the bristly feel and impulsively kissed his cheekbone, directly below his eye.

Hux balked and leaned away from him. He crossed his arms over the tabletop and lay his head down. It was nearly identical to the position Peavey had found him in nearly one standard week before. Hux would have laughed at the rapid turn of events if they had occurred to anyone else. “Gods,” he muttered forlornly. “I am so fracked.”

“Not yet.” Ren placed his hand on Hux’s forearm. When Hux didn’t react, he put his hands on each side of his neck and gently pulled him up. Hux’s heart beat faster as Ren unfastened his coat collar. He reached inside to feel the smooth skin of his chest. His eyes gleamed mischievously as he softly scratched, then dug his fingernails into Hux’s nipples.

Hux hissed and sank his teeth into Ren’s wrist. He was as startled as Ren. “What the hell, Hux!” Ren snatched his hand away as if he had touched a scalding iron. Hux shrugged and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m sorry. It was a knee-jerk reaction. Since my fingernails are regrettably short, I cannot use them.” His words seemed sincere, but his eyes conveyed a similar glint of mischief.

“Alright, I’ll give you that one.” Ren examined the indent of Hux’s teeth. He had bitten him hard enough to draw blood. The skin around the bite mark had turned purple. Ren had lost count the number of times he had caused Hux to bleed. It was high time for the General to return the favour.

“Hux, there really is something I need your help with. Come with me.” 

He licked his bruised wrist and turned around. As the blast door opened, he looked behind him.

“I told you to come with me, General. That is a direct order from your Supreme Leader.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't quite sure how I wanted to proceed from the last scene. I hope it turned out to be interesting enough. There are so many convoluted emotions involved in this pairing, I hope I am doing them some semblance of justice. I want Ren to mellow out, but please inform me if he seems too wussy all of a sudden. 
> 
> He is going to be feeling very contradictory emotions.
> 
> The abuse he has put Hux through has deeply scarred the poor man, but he is going to fight back. I hope I am succeeding in portraying the conflicted/contradictory emotions Hux is feeling, as well.
> 
> Any insight and/or suggestions are appreciated, as always. Thanks for reading.


	8. Love Came Along

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and Hux have a heart to heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love came slouching along,  
> an exploded silence  
> standing a little apart  
> but visible anyway  
> in the yellow, silent, steaming light,  
> while Guilt and Desire wrangled,  
> trying not to be overheard by this trespasser.
> 
> -James Baldwin

Despite his initial reluctance, it did not take a lot of convincing for Hux to comply with Ren’s orders. Mere minutes after leaving High Command’s quarter, the General had the Supreme Leader partially stripped and bound to his headboard. Ren had deliberately chosen Hux’s sleeping quarters because he would feel more at ease there. After the hell he had been through, he deserved as much.

Ren had decided outright to suppress his usual drive to dominate and subdue. If he was to have any feasible hope of Hux reciprocating his affections, he had to prove them. The two had spent nearly every waking moment of the last 10 years in competition for the favour of a megalomaniacal psychopath. Said psychopath had abused them both, though he had not ‘disciplined’ Ren in full view of his peers and subordinates.

In private, under the guise of ‘training,’ Snoke had slowly broken him down over time. Playing on his childhood neglect and fears of abandonment, he had held Ren so thoroughly under his sway that he no was no longer the same person. The thin, gawky padawan Ben Solo had, for better or worse, long since passed away.

Ren felt a lump form in his throat and quickly banished the thoughts of his past life. At present he wanted to give Hux his full attention. He sat passively on the bed as Hux pulled at the laces of his trousers. He slid them down Ren’s legs with shaky fingers. His stoic, vacant stare held steady as he cut through Ren’s briefs with a miniature vibro-shiv.

Ren idly wondered where Hux had gotten it. He was very cerebral, more of a strategist and exhorter than a warrior. He had seen his fair share of battles, but his design and oversight of the superweapon on Starkiller Base had solidified his reputation as the de facto ruler of the First Order’s Army. In their uneasy alliance working to further Snoke’s galactic dominion, Ren had often made a point of ridiculing Hux for being ‘a book boy.’

Hux, in turn, belittled Ren for being a ‘nerve burner.’ Back when he could insult Ren without fear of reprisal, Hux berated Ren and laughed at him for his poor memory, short temper, and general uselessness. Years of mistreatment and fear of failure had left Ren with an anger that always simmered just below the surface. The slightest insult could ignite an explosive rage that could leave both himself and the offender drenched in blood.

Being naked and bound gave one the impression that Ren was docile and defenceless. At the sight of him, Hux faltered. He dropped the vibro-shiv and nervously bit the nail of his ring finger. Ren grunted and frowned disapprovingly.  


“I thought I told you to stop biting your nails.” Hux inclined his head and dropped his hand to his side. That the Supreme Leader had allowed himself to be put in such a debased state spoke volumes. At any time Ren could use the Force to shove Hux away from him. He could slam him against the wall until the back of his head was as soft as a baked apple.

“Sorry, Ren.” Unsure of what to do next, Hux wrung his hands and anticipated the worst. Ren huffed and smiled at him indulgently. “It’s alright, Hux. Old habits die hard.” His eyes lowered to the small shiv by his side. “Pick it up. That’s an order.”

Hux did as he was told. The blade was lightweight and shiny. It captured and reflected every available fragment of light. Hux’s initials were engraved in the handle. It had been a gift from Snoke, a consolation prize to soothe his wounded pride after a particularly harsh ‘lesson.’ It was his favourite weapon, regardless of its origins.

“Good, now turn it on.” Hux pushed the small button in the hilt. The shiv began to vibrate, so rapidly that Hux’s hand shook. His stomach clenched in fear. What was Ren about to make him do?

Ren turned onto his side to expose the pale, vulnerable skin stretched taut over his bones. He was so thin Hux could count each rib. His heart hammered with alarm when Ren closed his eyes in resignation. “Do it.”

“No!” Hux turned off the vibro-shiv and flung it across the room. It clattered against the wall and fell uselessly to the floor. He had thrown it so forcefully it was a wonder that the blade had not shattered on impact. Ren blinked and turned onto his back so that he was facing Hux. 

“No?” he asked quizzically. “No!” Hux repeated vehemently. He leaned down and pressed his forehead to Ren’s. He was close enough to kiss. He didn’t, but turned turned his head aside to brush his cheek against Hux.

“Why? I thought this was what you wanted.”

Hux sniffed indignantly. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

“After everything I’ve done to you, I thought you’d want the opportunity to give me a taste of my own medicine.”

Hux held Ren’s shoulders and pulled back to look him in the eye. His brows rose in bewilderment. “I could never inflict that kind of pain on you, Ren. I would never.” He untied the knotted robe sash he’d used to bind Ren’s hands. “You can’t ask me to do such a thing. Not if you truly care for me.”

His hands freed, Ren cupped the back of Hux’s neck. He pulled him forward until their noses touched. “Will that be enough?” he wondered aloud. “Is that really all it would take for me to prove it to you?”

“You were always the one who said to ‘let the past die.’ You used to go on and on about never looking back, always forward. You have no problem dispensing such nuggets of wisdom to others. Why can’t you heed your own advice?”

Ren blushed and darted his gaze to the hollow of Hux’s neck. To have misjudged the General so profoundly was mortifying. Here he’d thought that Hux had spent every waking hour plotting vengeance, when it evidently had been the furthest thing from his mind.

“I don’t know,” he mumbled. “I guess I was too busy focusing on how everyone else should live and never thought about myself. I know that must come as a shock to you.”

“It does.” Hux laughed and abruptly stood up. His eyes slowly roved over Ren’s body, lingering for a moment on his chest and hips. “The prospect that you are even capable of thinking of anyone other than yourself astounds me.” He smiled and winked at Ren to soften the blow of his sarcasm. The Supreme Leader’s baleful glare gave way to his normal blank countenance.

“Thank you for the input, General Hux. If you would be so kind to allow me the use of your room. I’ll need a few moments to ‘freshen up before returning to my duties. I advise you to do the same."

Hux pressed a hand to his chest and inclined his head in a bow.

“As you wish, Supreme Leader.”


	9. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a conversation with a colleague, Hux has an epiphany.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You said you don’t have to speak  
> I can hear you  
> I can feel all the things you’ve ever felt before  
> I said it’s been a long time  
> Since someone looked at me that way  
> It’s like you knew me  
> And all the things I couldn’t say.  
> \- The xx

Hux returned to work with a sense of unease. Ren had all but declared his love. That he had been prepared to let Hux stab him proved there were plenty of bats in the belfry. That he had been willing to experience a similar level of suffering he had inflicted on Hux also proved the depth of his devotion. Hux felt he had been cast adrift in a sea of confusion, clinging to a fragile raft to stay afloat.

He found it immensely difficult to focus on the task at hand. Approximately six standard weeks after Snoke’s assassination, Kylo Ren was due to be officially instated as Supreme Leader of the First Order. The coronation was to take place in the new throne room. Formerly a massive sparring chamber for the Stormtroopers, the space had been repurposed and renovated after the _Supremacy’s_ destruction. The throne itself had once belonged to the Emperor Palpatine.

It was up to Hux to compose and deliver a commendatory oration for the event. Writing the speech would not be too difficult of itself. It was the thought of standing before the entire crew of the Finalizer, and being holoprojected to uncountable masses across the galaxy, that gave him pause. By now, nearly everyone of consequence in the known galaxy should have heard talk of his subjugation and acquiescence to being made ‘First Favourite.’

Even the notion of tongues wagging about his and Ren’s private affairs caused his face to burn with shame and anger. He would no longer be remembered for his military genius, but simply would go down in galactic history as Kylo Ren’s ‘pillow companion.’ The condescension with which some of the crew regarded him was enough to drive him mad. As often as he could, Hux secluded himself to the throne room at the bow of the ship. He could scarcely stand to walk the corridors and chance a meeting with backbiting, gossiping riffraff.

Hux was so lost in his thoughts he did not notice he was no longer alone until someone cleared their throat. “Pardon the interruption, General. I had not thought that you might not wish to be disturbed.” Hux blinked and tried to assume a neutral expression. He unclenched his jaw and relaxed his posture when he saw that Captain Phasma was the interloper. “Not to worry, Captain. I am quite alright with interruption, as long as you are the one interrupting.”

Phasma clicked her heels together and saluted him. “I have come to assess your condition, General. How are you faring?” Her words and tone of voice were very formal, and to anyone else they would have sounded stilted. Hux, who had been in her company since he was a teenager, detected a hint of agitation. “I am quite well, Phasma, thank you. Taking part in planning the Supreme Leader’s coronation is arduous, as I’m sure you are aware.”

Of course she was. As the head of infantry, she was responsible for organising the placement, drills, and salutes of the entire armed forces. To compare that with the strain of writing and delivering a speech seemed ludicrous. Hux bit the inside of his cheek to lessen his discomfiture. He hoped she would not wait too long before replying.

“Yes, General,” she said simply. She remained immobile, her hand to her forehead in salute. Hux coughed and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He was not sure of a proper way to dismiss her. She stayed put for what seemed like an eternity, though in truth only a few minutes had gone by.

“Phasma,” he finally said, all form of pomp and formality gone. “You needn’t be so officious with me when it is just the two of us. Tell me, then, what is the latest news? What are the ‘troopers saying about me that I ought to know?” Phasma relaxed her stance. She took her helmet off, revealing close-cropped blonde hair. Her ice-blue eyes narrowed disapprovingly.

“They are saying that you and Kylo Ren are lovers. They say that you two have always been in cahoots to overthrow the former Supreme Leader. Some even say that you were present when he died. Typical rubbish talk of the rabble. At your command, I will punish this calumny, General Hux.”

Hux smiled thinly. He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand before dropping it by his side. Thin beads of sweat gathered at his temples. “No, Phasma, that will not be necessary. No matter how one tries to stamp out defamation, there will always be talk. All that really matters is that we maintain order. Besides -” he swallowed and paused for a moment. “There is some truth to what they are implying.”

Phasma’s eyebrows raised. “What, General?” Hux laughed and placed a hand on Phasma’s shoulder. “My dear Captain, surely everything that has been going on has not escaped your notice. One standard month ago, Ren beat me to a bloody pulp. He also, er, staked his claim, as it were.” He watched her face for signs of disgust or disapproval, but she concealed such sentiments behind a vacant stare.

“General, if I may ask…”

"Yes, Phasma. Please proceed." Hux steeled himself. The Captain was one of a handful of people whose opinion mattered to him. He wasn't sure how he would handle it if she were to regard him with revulsion.

"Pardon me for being a bit graphic, General. When Ren 'staked his claim,' as you say, was there an...exchange of bodily fluids?"

"I...I don't know." Hux frowned and racked his brain. There had been only two occasions that he and Ren had been together. Both times, he had been brought to climax, but - to the best of his knowledge - Ren had not. Hux had been either too insensate and too overwhelmed emotionally, respectively. The first time had seemed like nothing more than a merciless demonstration of power and authority - on the surface.

Upon further reflection, though, Ren's feelings for him had been evident even then. The encounter had been savage and horrific, but Ren had only ever witnessed acts of violence done in the name of 'love.' With that in mind, twisted though it was, it was hardly surprising.

" General, in that case I believe it would be inaccurate to describe you as lovers. For that to be the case, the soon-to-be Supreme Leader would have to spill his seed either upon or inside you. I apologise for being so frank, Sir."

Phasma slipped her helmet back on and saluted him again. "I am glad you are well, Sir. If that will be all, I must return to my post. Good evening, General."

Hux smiled and returned the salute. "Very well. Good evening, Captain. And thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe this will be the penultimate chapter of this story. I set out with no clear direction in mind, but it has gradually morphed into a combined PWP/saccharine sap fest - as sappy as two of the most powerful, morally grey figures in the galaxy can be.
> 
> I apologise if it seems I am drawing this story to a premature close, but frankly I am running out of steam and ideas. I do love this pairing and am very glad to have become part of the fandom.


	10. (Ky)-lo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At Hux's insistence, Ren stakes his claim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's nothing left to give you  
> Nothing more I need  
> Time to let it sleep  
> Oh, the damage was real  
> But nothing cut me so deep I could not heal  
> -"Hi-Lo" by Evanescence

Hux found Ren in his sleeping quarters. He had brought a tray from the dining hall, and was seated at the small writing desk across from the bed. The desk was rather small, and Ren's broad form essentially dwarfed it. The only things on the tray were a small plate with a slice of jogan fruit cake, and a glass of bantha-milk. As long as he'd known him, Ren had always been something of a picky eater. With a diet mainly composed of chocolate, jogan fruit cake and other sweets, it was a wonder that he remained as thin as he was.

Hux made his presence known straightaway. "Pardon me, Supreme Leader. May I enter?" Ren took a sip of the bright blue bantha-milk before turning his head. His lips curved into a smile at the sight of Hux, clad in a silk sleeping robe. The only difference between it and the one he wore was the colour: his was black while Hux's was red. It was very becoming, and made his hair appear to be dark maroon in colour.

“Yes, General. Please do.” When the blast door closed behind him, and Hux pressed a button on the hatch to lock it. Ren turned back to his tray as Hux stood behind him. Cautiously, he kneaded Ren’s shoulders and neck, pinching the skin between his fingers. Ren closed his eyes and moaned softly. He leaned back slightly to look up at him.

“Good gods, Hux. Where did you learn that?” Hux smiled bashfully and rubbed his nose against Ren’s. “There was little learning involved. This is mere imitation of what I have seen from masseuses in Canto Bight.” Ren frowned and tilted his head forward. He stabbed the slice of cake with his fork and shoved it into his mouth.

Hux laughed and kept up the massage. “My, my, are you jealous, Ren? You needn’t be; I never indulged in the practice myself. As I told you, I simply observed as various soldiers, merchants and politicians had theirs. It was quite popular to see a masseuse at least once every trip. Some even asked me why I abstained, but to tell you the truth, I find the idea of allowing a perfect stranger to give me a ‘rub and tug’ nauseating.”

“Rub and tug?” Ren repeated the words slowly and haltingly, as if he were attempting to speak a foreign language. Hux stopped touching Ren’s shoulders. He slipped a hand into the folds of the robe and touched his chest. “Instead of explaining, what if I give you a demonstration?”

Ren said nothing, but sat slack as a ragdoll as Hux touched him. He shifted the chair around so that Ren faced him. He untied the sash holding Ren’s robe closed. The cloth fell open, and Hux was pleasantly surprised to see that he was otherwise unclothed.

Without hesitation, he took hold of Ren and languidly caressed him. Ren gasped but remained still as Hux cradled his balls with one hand and gently held him with the other. He alternately stroked and squeezed him. He watched with fascination as Ren's member grew thicker and longer in his hand.  
Hux smirked as Ren gasped at a particularly intense wave of pleasure.

"I am pleased to see that you're enjoying yourself. Please do give me some sort of feedback. I've never actually done this before. It will be a first for the both of us."  


Hux brought Ren to the edge of release, only to brusquely let go of him. "No!" he shouted angrily. He glowered at Hux in frustration as he slipped his fingers into his mouth. His shaft had leaked precum onto Hux's hand. He had been just moments away from climax. "What the frack, Hux?"

"Oh Ren, there is no need for such language." Hux untied the sash of his robe and shrugged out of it. The dark red material fell in a pile on the floor. Hux sat on the edge of the bed and crossed his arms over his chest. Ren's gaze started at his lips, and slowly traveled down his body. Ren blushed when he fixed his eyes on how erect Hux was.

"Do you like what you see?" Hux waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Ren cleared his throat and rubbed his forehead. "Like? Hux, you really have little idea of what you do to me. Do you realise how hard it is for me not to walk across this room and have my way with you?"

Hux lay back on the bed and spread his legs like an offering. "There's no need for this to be hard, Ren. Besides, I am perfectly aware of the effect I have on you. I do wish you would hurry up and make good on your claim."

That was all he had to say. Ren was on top of him in seconds. He kissed Hux and pressed him down into the mattress.

Hux grunted as Ren reached between them. He stroked and pinched Hux between his fingers. Hux moaned and struggled beneath him, but Ren did not relent. He fondled him until Hux hovered right on the cusp of release. Ren abruptly broke away from him and leaned back. Hux sniffed and pouted at him. "Oh, I see. You're returning the favour - er, disfavour. Well, congratulations, Ren. If your aim was to annoy me, you have succeeded."

Ren smiled thinly. "Good. Now, if you would be so kind..." He rose forward on his haunches and thrust himself toward Hux's face. Hux took him into his mouth unenthusiastically. If he could not get off, then Ren wouldn't, either. The contradiction evident in such thinking was not lost on him, but he was past the point of caring.

Ren soon pulled out of his mouth. He kissed Hux's neck and bit down lightly. Hux hissed and twitched under him. "Thanks, Hux," Ren muttered. "That should do it."  


"Do what?" Hux's peevish demand was answered when Ren gripped his hip and roughly turned him over. Hux tittered nervously as Ren positioned himself behind him. He prodded his hole with his tongue, an act so deeply intimate that Hux whimpered.

Ren kissed Hux's back to comfort him. "Are you sure you want this? Once we do this, you are _mine_. Is this really what you want, Hux?"  
"Yes." Hux sniffled and leaned back to feel the taut, hard press of him. "I am yours."

Wordlessly, Ren entered him. Hux gasped at the sudden, sharp pain. He leaned forward against the headboard as Ren grunted and set up a rhythm. He thrust into him, pulled back a bit, and repeated the motion.

He reached around and took hold of Hux again. "Let's finish what we started," he rasped.

He pulled and pressed Hux until he came. He made a low, mewling sound like a kitten. His seed coated Ren's hand, the sheets and headboard. Before he could draw another breath, Ren surged against him. He burst and filled Hux with a triumphant whoop.

Hux moaned and collapsed. Ren wrapped his arms around him and pulled him back against his chest. "Whoa," he murmured. "I didn't think I had that in me. You really are something, Hux." He suckled his neck and scraped it with his teeth, leaving a series of small purple love bites on the otherwise pale skin.  


"What are you doing?" Hux mumbled drowsily. "That hurts, you know."

"Aw, I'm sorry, Hux. Now that I've 'laid my claim,' as you put it, I'm marking my territory, so to speak.  
"Hmm," Hux nodded. "Please carry on, then. For a little while, anyway. I do so hate to be a bother, but I feel I am about to fall asleep..."  
"Go ahead. We can clean up this mess together when we wake up."

Ren lay down on his side. He wrapped an arm around Hux's chest and pulled him backward. The other he draped over the pillow, his fingers lightly brushing the top of Hux's head. Taller than Hux by just a few centimetres, Ren found that their bodies moulded together perfectly. He stroked his scalp, gently tousling his hair.  


Hux yawned and closed his eyes. "Good night, Supreme Leader."

Ren kissed the back of his neck. He nibbled Hux's earlobe. His breath tickled Hux's ear as he whispered. "Good night, Grand Marshal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Er, huzzah? It sure doesn't fit the mould of what one would classify as a healthy relationship, but Kylux for the win! Honestly, I am a bit sheepish about posting explicit scenes, especially the whole enchilada. Still, I'm glad to have persevered and finally completed my first fic.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for the views, kudos and comments. Here's to you, Kylux, and the fanfics to come. 🍻


End file.
